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About Nerve Conduction Studies from A to Z
Many excellent books, texts, and papers concerning the fields of neurology, neurophysiology, neuroanatomy, electromyography, and nerve conduction studies have been published for interested persons. The numerous published materials encompass a variety of aspects targeted at educating a variety of audiences. Most currently available materials are typically written at a reading level designed for physicians and personnel with substantial medical backgrounds. Written materials that a physician may find interesting and informative would very likely confuse a layman. Technologists entering the field of electrodiagnostic medicine have an arduous task in gleaning from physician's textbooks pertinent information that is directly applicable to the technologist's job.

The authors have identified the growing need for formal, criterion-referenced, performance-based training that is directly applicable to the specific target audience. This training manual is written specifically for the Electrodiagnostic Technologist, at a target-audience level that attempts to convey in the most simplified manner possible, necessary information related to the safe and proficient performance of nerve conduction studies without compromising the integrity of the standards accepted by and practiced in today's Electrodiagnostic labs

About the Authors
The partnership between the authors has brought together the two basic components necessary for the development of a technical training program using the Systematic Approach to Training, namely, a subject matter expert and an Instructional Technologist.

Barbara O. Crout, R. EDT., has over 20 years of experience as an Electrodiagnostic Technologist. Barbara's name is well recognized in the field of electroneurodiagnostic medicine. Her career in EMG medicine began in 1976 at the Medical College of Georgia. She supervised the Electromyography Laboratory for 16 years under the tutelage of Thomas R. Swift, M.D. and Michael H. Rivner, M.D. Barbara served on the national board of AAET and assisted in the implementation of the early AAET Registry Exams.

As a co-director and a Clinical Faculty member of the School of Allied Health, Medical College of Georgia, Barbara helped develop the two-year Associate Degree Neurodiagnostic Technology (NDT) Program. Barbara was a member of AAET, the American Society of Electrodiagnostic Technologists (ASET), and the Georgia Society of Electrodiagnostic Technologists (GSET).

Ms. Crout left MCG in 1992 to join Technical Synapse, Inc., where she served as a consultant, trainer, lecturer, and workshop facilitator. She was also affiliated with Atlanta Neurology, PC, for five years. Barbara's knowledge of and expertise in performing nerve conduction studies has contributed greatly to the development of this manual.

Charles W. (Bill) Flicek is a consultant Instructional Designer and technical writer with over twenty years of experience in the design and development of performance-based, technical training programs. Bill has been instrumental in designing technical training programs for clients including commercial nuclear utilities, DOE weapons production and DOE Research and Development facilities including Brookhaven National Laboratory, Lockheed-Martin Energy Systems, General Physics Corporation, and Denso Manufacturing. In 1994 Bill made five trips to Ukraine to assist the former Soviet Bloc country's Khmelnitsky Nuclear Power Plant in the development of their technical training programs according to U.S. nuclear regulatory standards.

Bill brings a new and exciting perspective to the field of electroneurodiagnostic training through his use of proven instructional methodologies to develop performance-based technical training programs that consistently produce measurable, desired results, that is, knowledgeable, safe, and proficient technologists. Bill recognized the need for standardized, competency-based technical training for the field of Electrodiagnostic Technology and worked with Barbara to develop a comprehensive technical training manual for the EDT. Bill's hope is that the industry recognizes the value of and, therefore, the need for standardized, criterion-referenced, competency-based training.